I think I need some new shoes…

We are all aware of the old saying, “doctors make the worst patients”.  I like to think that, overall, I am a good patient, but apparently in this case I failed to follow my own advice.  After 2 months of wearing the cute, slip-on, sandal (aka:  flip-flop) pretty much everywhere, my feet are hurting.  The poor choice in shoegear has aggravated some arthritis I already had in my great toe joint, and now I can also feet soreness in my arch and ankle from trying to avoid pressure in my big toe.  Sound familiar?

To fix the problem, I plan to wear my athletic shoes more often while at home, but I still need something a little dressier, and ok, “cuter” for work.  For my foot, I need a fairly stiff sole so that I don’t put too much strain across my big toe joint.  Dansko clogs work great for me in the colder months, so my plan is to find a summer pair with the same basic build.  They also have some built-in arch support.

Fortunately, Dansko makes a variety of summer shoes that fit that criteria.  Stores like Nordstrom, Shoes-N-Feet, and REI carry several.  My hope is that with some smarter choices, my feet will be feeling better soon.  Another option is considering a custom arch support called an orthotic to put in my shoes.  Custom orthotics are generally stronger but thinner and more lightweight than traditional over-the-counter devices, and can work well in most shoes, including sandals.